Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC24)

ACPIC 2024 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Sydney (September 2024) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.

Conference theme: Paramedicine's evolution – Embracing the new era

Assessment of Special Populations - Paediatrics

This session is the first in a series of presentations on Assessment of Special Populations and aims to shine the light on the considerations and different approaches to assessment when engaging with paediatric populations. This will include communication, biases, and clinical challenges.

Biography: Curt Cooper

Curt Cooper is a Paramedic currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy (Health) at the University of Southern Queensland and is also a lecturer at Charles Darwin University. His research focuses on the educational preparedness, attitudes, and confidence levels of Australian paramedics (including students) in attending to paediatric trauma patients. As an Advanced Care Paramedic II, Curt brings extensive clinical experience from diverse settings, including Indigenous communities and the mining sector. He has co-authored a chapter on Mining Emergencies, in Clinical Cases in Paramedicine, and presented at numerous conferences, demonstrating his commitment to research and evidence-based care.

Assessment of Special Populations - Bariatric health needs a growing population health problem: what should you know?

Currently 68% of the Australian population are overweight or are people living with obesity. All health care practitioners need to improve there understanding and knowledge to improve our nations health. Assumptions and outdate theories/ beliefs have lead to reduced access to care, adding to our countries chronic disease burden. This presentation will cover some for the key areas of considerations in bariatric healthcare, weight stigma, assessment, treatments and potential presentations.

Biography: Catherine Smith

Catherine has been Bariatric NP since endorsement in 2012. Catherine start a private NP weight loss services WHY Clinic, which provides ~800 appointments per month via face to face and Telehealth. Catherine was the 1st Australian NP to complete the Horizone Mentoring Program, coordinator the development of the ACNP Advanced Practice Bariatric Course, is the NP committee member on NACOS and is a clinical leadership with The Obesity Collective. She has represented NPs at many national events during her 5 years as ACNP Director (Treasurer), gaining Fellowship of ACNP in 2023 & ACORN in 2022.

Assessment of Special Populations - Neurodivergent Patients

This session is the third in a series of presentations on Assessment of Special Populations and aims to shine the light on the considerations and different approaches to assessment when engaging with neurodivergent populations - including communication, biases, and clinical challenges.

Biography: Charlton Quitoriano

Charlton is a Naarm/Melbourne-based academic at Monash University and registered ALS paramedic. Prior to this, Charlton started his career working as a graphic designer and has now been collaborating with other academics to utilise his combined skillset including the Australian Paramedicine Professional Capabilities Tool (APPCAT) and an upcoming Autistic Suicide Prevention Resource Hub with the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre. Being queer, neurodivergent, and a person of colour, Charlton's professional interests lie within the wellbeing, mental health, neurodiverse, and LGBTIQ+ spaces in the paramedicine and higher education contexts.

Assessment of Special Populations - Geriatric Medicine- Essential Elements

This session will focus on essential elements of assessing the older person including:

• Recognising delirium, and dementia.
• Communicating with the unwell older adult
• Identifying changes from the patient’s baseline.
• Avoiding bias
• Clinical challenges in the evaluation of older adults including the reduced reliability of classic clinical presentations in identifying disease- and how to overcome this.

Biography: Dr Will Browne

Will completed medical training in 1999 and completed post graduate training in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine in 2006. He is currently based in Melbourne managing an inpatient unit at Maroondah Hospital and where he also works with Residential InReach. He is the current Director of Physician Education at Maroondah Hospital. He is heavily involved in post graduate medical education and has interests in clinical diagnostics, movement disorders, and general Geriatric Medicine

Moderator: Lucy OatleyConference MC and Intensive Care Flight Paramedic and Katrina Kapsis, ACPIC24 Organising Committee Member